On the scene with the Oscar nominees

On a sunny afternoon in early February, Hollywood's top talent gathered at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for the 85th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon. The annual event gives the elite group a chance to celebrate together in a relaxed setting before the high-stakes night of the Oscars.

We transformed a cabana into a poolside party so stars like Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Denzel Washington, Sally Field, Jacki Weaver, Tim Burton, Quvenzhané Wallis, Benh Zeitlin and more could stop by for some fun. They chatted with entertainment correspondent Nischelle Turner before stepping inside our animated photo booth and snacking on custom cookies featuring their famous faces. Our entertainment editor Abbey Goodman captured some of the action on video. Check out the CNN experience below.